Thanks for the memories, kids!

By admin

10 December 2013

In her final blog of the year, our education blogger confesses she got a little teary as she watched her Grade 7s thank each teacher as they finished their primary school days in a whirlwind of fun and wonderful memories.

The holidays are finally here! The past few weeks have just flown by and it was a time of celebration after the exams. We had our prizegiving evenings and class party to end the year and memories of a hike and an adventure camp which were fun for the leaners and teachers.

A highlight for me was the awards evenings. As the class teacher, I knew who the highest achievers in my class were as well as which student would be winning the overall prize as highest achiever of the entire Grade 7 year. A second and just as prestigious award is the pro merito award. This prize is awarded to the student who has served the school well and best encompassed all that the school stands for.

And it was great joy for me that the highest achiever in the grade and the pro merito award winner were both in my class! The awards were then closed by two rousing and heartfelt speeches from our head prefects. There were few dry eyes left in the crowd band they shared their thanks.

As teachers, we very often wonder if what we are trying to teach our kids actually has an impact on them and having it so publicly declared really struck a chord with all of us.

After all the seriousness, the Grade 7s could let their hair down and end their primary school years. I have never seen people dance non-stop for five hours straight! I felt my years after walking out of our venue and to add insult to injury, a very long power nap (okay, I confess I went straight to bed) was needed when I got home! There was also the Grade 7 hike to Kalk Bay Caves and an adventure camp in the final term where we all had fun and good memories were made of an important part of their lives. At the adventure camp there were various team-building activities and they learnt about different reptiles (argh!). The hike up to Kalk Bay caves happened the week before final exams. It helped us all clear the cobwebs from our brains and enjoy the beautiful vistas.

The year has been filled with joy, tears and laughter. The tears were usually a result of all the laughter! However as I bid farewell to my class of 2013, they threatened to spill (there goes my tough image, I thought). I watched with pride as our Grade 7s thanked each teacher in the hall at final assembly today. Each and every teacher they greeted and thanked had an impact on their lives and helped shape them into the individuals they are. Yes! I am going to miss them. The noise, laughter, humour, comments and personalities, all of it will be missed and remembered with a genuine smile-yes and misty eyes!

Have a safe festive season. We teachers will be rebooting our systems while furiously planning and preparing for our new recruits! Wait . . . what about the holidays? Dedication to our kids seems to not want that break!

-Reyanah

Reyanah Manuel is a Grade 7 teacher at a primary school in Cape Town and after trying a different field she realised teaching was in her blood.